Boneless wings are a popular appetizer and snack food item. They provide the flavor of traditional bone-in chicken wings without the inconvenience of bones. But how exactly do restaurants and food manufacturers make these boneless wings?
What are boneless wings?
Boneless wings are essentially just breaded or sauced pieces of chicken breast. They are commonly made from diced chicken breast meat that is formed into the shape of a wing or a nugget. The meat is then breaded or battered, fried, and tossed in typical Buffalo wing sauces and flavors.
While called “boneless wings,” they do not actually contain any wing meat. Traditional chicken wings contain three segments – the drumette, the wingette, and the wing tip. Boneless wings do not contain any part of the chicken wing.
How are they made?
There are a few common methods used to make boneless wings:
Chunked and shaped chicken breast
The most basic way to make boneless wings is to take skinless, boneless chicken breast and cube or chunk it into pieces. These pieces are then tossed in flour or batter to coat them, fried until cooked and crisp, and then coated in a sauce.
The cubed pieces of breast meat can also be reshaped and molded to resemble the drumette part of a wing before breading and frying.
Ground and formed “wings”
Another method is to take boneless skinless chicken breast and grind or blend it into a paste. This paste can then be mixed with seasoning and binders, then formed into wing shapes around a skewer or lollipop stick.
The formed wing shapes are breaded and fried until fully cooked and crispy. The frying helps to set the shape of the “wings.” Then they are tossed in sauce to flavor them.
Breaded chicken breast nuggets
Finally, some boneless wings are simply chicken nuggets or tender strips that are coated in traditional Buffalo wing sauces instead of honey mustard or BBQ sauce. So they essentially take a product that already exists and change the flavor.
Why make boneless wings?
There are a few reasons why restaurants and food companies produce these boneless wings:
- Convenience – They are less messy and easier to eat than traditional wings with bones.
- Labor savings – Deboning chicken wings takes time and labor that is avoided with boneless wings.
- Meat yield – More meat per pound can be yielded from boneless breasts than bone-in wings.
- Cost – Boneless wings can use up scrap breast meat and trimmings.
- Kid-friendliness – The lack of bones makes them safer options for children.
Common cooking methods
Boneless wings are cooked in similar ways as other breaded and fried foods like chicken nuggets or tenders:
Battering and breading
The chicken pieces are first dipped in a liquid batter, then coated with a breading mixture like flour, panko, or cornmeal. The batter helps the breading stick to the meat.
Frying
The breaded boneless wings are then fried at around 350°F until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per batch. The high heat helps seal in moisture and gives a crispy coating.
Saucing
After frying, the boneless wings are tossed with traditional Buffalo wing sauces like hot sauce, barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, teriyaki, honey mustard, etc. The sauce flavors the wings.
Serving suggestions
Boneless wings are extremely versatile. Here are some popular ways they are served:
- As appetizers for dipping in ranch dressing or blue cheese
- In sandwiches or wraps
- On top of salads
- With French fries as an entree
- In snack packs for kids’ meals
- On their own as a finger food for parties
Nutritional information
The nutrition of boneless wings depends on the exact recipe, but they generally provide:
| Nutrient | Per 3 oz Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 220-260 |
| Fat | 14-16g |
| Carbs | 10-15g |
| Protein | 14-18g |
As a breaded and fried food, boneless wings are higher in fat and calories than grilled or baked chicken. But they can be a more healthy option than traditional bone-in wings when made with lean breast meat.
Cost analysis
Boneless wings will typically cost a restaurant slightly less per pound compared to bone-in wings. Here’s a comparison of estimated costs:
| Item | Cost per lb |
|---|---|
| Bone-in wings | $2.50 – $3.50 |
| Boneless wings | $2.00 – $2.50 |
The difference in cost is largely due to the extra labor and waste involved with whole wings. Approximately 40% of the weight of bone-in wings is not edible. So boneless wings allow restaurants to stretch their chicken meat purchases further.
Are they healthier?
There’s an ongoing debate around whether boneless wings are “healthier” than bone-in wings. Here are some considerations:
- Boneless wings can contain less saturated fat and calories when made with lean breast meat instead of fatty wing meat.
- But the breading and frying process adds calories, carbs, and fat.
- Boneless wings typically contain less skin than bone-in, meaning less cholesterol and fat.
- Yet they contain less collagen protein from the skin and bones.
- Some find boneless wings less messy and easier to eat, letting you consume less sauce.
Overall, boneless wings made from lean breast meat are likely a slightly healthier option. But the breading and frying makes them higher in carbs and fat than plain grilled chicken.
Are they cheaper?
For restaurants, boneless wings will be cheaper to produce than traditional bone-in wings. This is due to lower raw ingredient costs, better meat yield, and less labor involved.
For consumers, boneless wings may be priced slightly cheaper on menus than bone-in wings. Though pricing can vary widely by restaurant.
Popularity and trends
Boneless wings have been growing in popularity for years. According to data from food industry publications:
- Boneless wings now make up over 75% of all chicken wing orders at restaurants.
- Appetizer orders of boneless wings increased by 132% from 2006 to 2011.
- They are now the second most popular chicken dish ordered in restaurants after grilled chicken.
This rise has been driven by consumer desire for convenient and mess-free chicken wings. Food manufacturers have also improved the quality and taste of boneless wings over the years.
Pre-made vs. homemade
Most restaurants source their boneless wings from food manufactures that produce and freeze them in large quantities. But they can also be made fresh in-house or at home from scratch. Some pros and cons:
| Pre-made Wings | Homemade Wings |
|---|---|
| Cheaper ingredient costs | Can control ingredients |
| Skip breading/frying time | Fresher taste |
| Shorter prep time | More labor intensive |
Many restaurants opt for the convenience of pre-made boneless wings they simply reheat and toss in sauce. But homemade allows for broader recipe customization.
Conclusion
Boneless wings provide all the great flavor and convenience of classic Buffalo wings without the bones. They are made by reshaping diced chicken breast into wing form, then breading and frying until crispy. Though they contain no actual wing meat, the provide the same experience of dipping sauced “wings” into blue cheese or ranch dressing.
Their popularity has exploded in recent years thanks to their versatility and ease of eating. While not necessarily the healthiest menu option, they can be slightly better for you when made from lean breast meat rather than fatty wings. Their convenience makes boneless wings a staple appetizer at many restaurants and a go-to for homemade parties.